Rabbitohs hero labels cashed-up Roosters the 'new Manly'

The Roosters have become "the new Manly" with their success and star-studded roster, according to South legend Bob McCarthy.

"The Roosters are the new Manly," McCarthy declared on Tuesday. "They win everything just about; they've won four minor premierships, two premierships and they have all the best players.

"They talk about the 'brown paper bags' but there are no brown paper bags. I go shopping up there a bit, and there are no more brown paper bags, so everything is above board.

"I actually put it down to astute buying by [chairman] Nick Politis. Everyone knows every club is scrutinised by the salary-cap auditor. Nick is too smart. Look at their club 20 or 30 years ago and look at it now.

"He's come in and they have about $10 million in the bank, they own properties all over the place, and all the other clubs are skint.

"That's a rap for Nick. He's a businessman and wants to make everyone there prosperous. I'm sure he looks after all the players who have played there, and that's why they're all so happy in their life outside of the game.

"Nick is not a bad bloke. The feud with us [Souths] only started when Ron Coote came into it."

The Roosters signed Coote from Souths and he helped them win the 1974 and 1975 titles.

McCarthy gave Politis a rap through gritted teeth but quickly backed it up by declaring there was no way he could finish watching the end of last year's grand final when the Roosters defeated the Storm.

"I was on the Gold Coast with [wife] Judy and went downstairs for a swim with ten minutes to go. I couldn't watch then do that lap of honour," he said.

Club bosses were told earlier this month by the NRL that Souths, Brisbane, Parramatta or Canberra in the grand final would be a financial success, while the Roosters, Storm, Manly  or Cronulla would likely lower profit expectations.

A potential Souths-Roosters blockbuster would be the best possible result for the NRL given the bitter history, and McCarthy said the three games between the historic clubs this season would have the Roosters concerned.

"If I'm a Roosters supporter I'd be worried about Souths," McCarthy said. "The three games played between them this year, they led us at half-time in all three games, we won two of them and won the second half in all three. I don't know what happens at half-time."

The Roosters have won four minor premierships in recent years and are gunning for their third title in the same period.

The endless – and inaccurate – speculation about how the Bondi club can continue to maintain a stellar roster, much like the cashed-up successful Sea Eagles during the 1970s, continues to be the running joke with those not living in the eastern suburbs.

Superstar fullback James Tedesco, who arrived in Bondi with Cooper Cronk last year, said he still had people telling him over the weekend that he should "go back to the Wests Tigers".

"I think teams like the Tigers, [neutral] fans like those teams more," Tedesco said. "I think the Roosters have been successful and people are probably tired of seeing them up the top. I'm happy to cop that if it means we keep being successful."

Angus Crichton, who Souths believed had signed with their bitter rivals for nearly $1 million a season this year, said he always regarded the Roosters as "the people's team"  because he was schooled in the area.

"People bag our fans but I think they're up there as being the most loyal and best in the comp," Crichton said.

The Storm also have their share of haters because of the scars they carry from the cap rorting a decade ago and the fact that they were regarded as the club who mastered the wrestle.

Canberra boss Don Furner said the neutral support was always easier for one-club towns, and the success became infectious across the community.